Ready for Presonus Eris E4.5 vs E3.5 review? Every professional knows the importance of accurate audio reproduction. It is only possible when you have invested in the right studio monitor.
Two popular studio monitors used in audio recording, mastering, and mixing are Presonus Eris E4.5 and E3.5.
Often, musicians and audio engineers struggle to choose between these studio monitors.
Both perform exceptionally well and reproduce every detail accurately. On top of that, these studio monitors are reasonably priced considering the number of functions. The following comparison will help you evaluate which one will be the right fit for you.
PreSonus Eris E4.5 Vs E3.5 Review
I have been looking for an affordable studio monitor for a while. I gathered information about the popular speaker models in the market, however, it eventually came down to Presonus Eris E3.5 and E4.5. Since I have found many professionals struggling to choose between the two, I decided to test both studio monitors to review them for audio engineers.
The main difference between Presonus Eris E4.5 and E3.5 is the bass production. E4.5 produces bass more efficiently than the E3.5 studio monitor.
Moreover, these efficient studio monitors are available at varying prices. Plus, they differ slightly from each other in terms of weight.
With that said, it should be noted that these studio monitors have more similarities than differences.
PreSonus Eris E4.5
PreSonus Eris E4.5 delivers the same audio quality that the Eris-series studio monitors are admired for.
These studio monitors offer extreme placement flexibility thanks to their compact build.
It allows a customized listening experience with in-built headphone amplifiers and onboard EQ controls.
This studio monitor is suitable for musicians, gamers, and content creators. It features a tweeter and a woofer to widen the frequency range. Moreover, it reproduces precise audio without losing any details.
PreSonus Eris E3.5
This 2-way nearfield studio monitor is used by professionals in home setups and studios.
The manufacturer has integrated the same technology used in larger Eris models. It means that you will get studio-quality sound at an affordable price.
Eris 3.5 features a 1″ silk dome tweeter and a 3.5″ woofer for reproducing accurate frequencies.
Moreover, it can be paired with an active subwoofer for full-range sound. The lightweight and smooth design makes it suitable for smaller spaces.
Difference Between Presonus Eris E4.5 and E3.5
I figured it was a little important to introduce you to these speakers separately to understand their differences better. Before I start, let me begin by saying that these two studio monitors are not entirely different. Instead, they share the most features except for a few.
Sound Quality
I believe and everyone will agree that sound quality is the utmost consideration when it comes to speaker comparison.
It is safe to say that I liked Eris E3.5 at first listen. Sharper audio, clearer high range, and the notable amount of treble left me amazed.
To be honest, I was not expecting such superior performance at such an affordable price tag.
I tried all settings and still, it delivered crisp highs, well-balanced mids, and impressive lows.
It comes with a woven, composite low-frequency driver and a 3.5″ woofer to deliver cleaner sound.
Moreover, the 1” silk dome tweeter reproduces high frequencies efficiently. Further, the tweeter has a wide dispersion pattern which widens the listening area significantly.
On the other hand, PreSonus Eris E4.5 is equally capable and blew me away with its sound quality.
The moment it arrived, I turned it on and played some music. Since I had already tested E3.5, I could not wait to compare how the audio was reproduced by this near-field studio monitor.
While both devices produce better audio, I felt the bass was more pronounced from the E4.5.
In comparison to E3.5, it has a larger 4.5″ woofer that produces tight bass. E4.5 gets an edge thanks to its deeper bass production.
Similar to E3.5, it features a 1″ silk-dome, wide-dispersion tweeter for producing accurate highs and creating a larger listening area.
Even if you adjust the audio settings, the lows produced by the E4.5 were more impressive than the E3.5.
On the whole, both studio monitors have fairly similar audio quality with the exception of bass production. Also, E3.5 and E4.5 have 25 watts/side power amplifiers to produce louder output.
Frequency Response
Both devices differ from each other slightly in terms of frequency response. E3.5 is capable of handling frequency response between 80 Hz to 20K Hz with a 2.8 kHz crossover frequency.
Comparably, E4.5 covers frequency response ranges from 70 Hz to 20K Hz. It also has a crossover frequency of 2.8 kHz.
Weight
Before I talk about the portability of these speakers, let me tell you that both studio monitors are not that bulky. E3.5 is ultra-compact and easy to transport as it weighs 6.4 lbs (2.9 kgs).
Contrastingly, E4.5 is also compact, however, it weighs a little heavier than E3.5. It weighs 13 lbs (5.9 kg).
Price
It is hard to find quality studio monitors at affordable prices. Many such devices are overly priced and do not offer the same audio quality.
E3.5 is currently being sold at $129.95. When on sale, it can be bought at a lesser price, usually under $100. One of the best bookshelf speakers under 1000.
In comparison, E4.5 is a bit more expensive and costs around $259.95. At the time of writing, the manufacturer is offering a 42% discount. Therefore, the current price is $149.99.
Conclusion
To sum up, these studio monitors are not much different from each other in terms of sound quality, design, and features. The only notable difference is that the size of the woofer varies in both devices. Additionally, E4.5 reproduces better bass than E3.5. If you want an extra punch of bass, go for E4.5, otherwise settle for E3.5.
Cian has 7 years of experience in the musical instruments industry. His press and research articles are published in many well-known journals. Cian is part of our product testing team so he knows the criteria for the best products. Here at sound keen cian covers how to set up instruments and selection criteria for new products.